Automate Online Export Declarations to Germany with ATLAS

by Venkat Dasika, SAP HR Payroll/Time Consultant

July 26, 2010

Understand ATLAS, the online automated export declarations system for outbound shipments from Germany, including the system architecture and how to implement it. Walk through the configuration and associated system setup to enable the process and the communication.

Key Concept

ATLAS is an automated export declarations system used in Germany. Prior to the ATLAS system, German customs agencies had two IT- and paper-based customs processes. This ATLAS system also connects with the European Union’s comprehensive customs and tariffs databases that are updated daily and accessed through a Web browser.

As part of Germany’s automated ATLAS export procedure, customs declarations for exporting are registered electronically. Some of the key advantages of using ATLAS are that it expedites customs declarations, is paperless, and saves manual effort and time.

You can configure SAP BusinessObjects Global Trade Services to enable ATLAS for automating the German export declarations. The key steps in ATLAS declarations are:

You need to configure its customs management to enable the customs declaration electronically through Intermediate Documents (IDocs)

Use middleware to map the SAP BusinessObjects Global Trade Services IDoc and translate the data element into the format ATLAS can understand and accept

The customs authority validates the data and replies back with the confirmation of the accompanying export document (EAD) as a PDF file

This EAD document carries the customs identification number, called Movement Reference Number (MRN), for the entire export process. This acts as an electronic confirmation for the exporter as a proof of export declarations.

In my previous article, “Communicate with Customs Using AES SAP GRC Global Trade Services,” I went through the steps for how to configure SAP BusinessObjects Global Trade Services customs management for automated export submission with US customs authorities. This article explains how to extend the solution to German customs authorities, pointing out the key process and setup details that enable the system for automated submission using ATLAS.